Key Terms and Definitions Flashcards
Adult literacy
The percentage of the adult (16+) population who can read and write.
Afforestation
The planting of trees/vegetation.
Bilateral aid
Aid given by the government of one country to the government of another.
Biomes
Large ecosystems at the global scale where the climate and vegetation is uniform.
Biosphere
The regions of the earth and atmosphere where plants and animals live.
Climate change
The long term changes in out climate including temperature and precipitation.
Colonialism
The historical practice where countries, like Great Britain went and took over other countries, such as Kenya, occupying it with settlers and exploiting its raw materials.
Conserve
To prevent an environment being damaged by exploitation or to repair an environment that has already been damaged
Corruption
Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
Debt
The money owed by a country or individual.
Decomposer
Animals/plants that break down dead plants and animal. They are very important for any ecosystem, as they provide essential nutrients.
Deforestation
The cutting down of trees/vegetation.
Desert
An area having annual precipitation of less than 250mm a year.
Desertification
When the climate of a dry region becomes even drier and vegetation is lost to soil erosion and the spread of the desert ecosystem.
Development gap
The difference in wealth between rich and poor countries.
Direct jobs
Jobs that are created directly due to an industry. E.g. in tourism, a hotel porter.
Economic recession
A period of decline during which some industrial activity closes, people have become unemployed and the negative multiplier effect occurs.
Ecosystem
A system of links between the plants and animals and the habitats where they live, including the non-living environment.
Ecotourism
A sustainable way to manage an ecosystem, by educating and limiting the amount of tourists that can go into an area, that still allow money/jobs to be created along with conservation.
Employment
Work for which some form of payment is given.
Employment structure
The number of people working in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy.
Exploit
To use the natural environment as a resource to make profit.
Exports
The movement of goods out of a country.
Extinction
The loss of something forever, e.g. animal species due to poor management.
Fair-trade
An organised movement that aims to help producers in developing countries to get a better deal for their goods.
Food chain
The transfer of energy through an ecosystem from primary producers to consumers and decomposers.
Formal work
Jobs that receive a regular wage, do regular hours and have a formally signed contract, E.g. a teacher, nurse, factory worker, farmer.
GDI
Gross Domestic Product - the value of all final goods and services made within the boarders of a country in a year. It is also known as GDP.
GNI
Gross National Product - the average income in a country. It is also known as GNP.
Greenhouse effect
Rise in global temperatures due to certain gases, such as carbon dioxide being trapped in the atmosphere.
Globalisation
Flows of people, ideas, money and food are making an increasingly complex global web that links people and places together.
Global interdependency
The complex patterns of trade, communication and aid, which links different countries together.
Global warming
Increase of the earth’s average surface temperature.
Habitat
A natural environment in which an organism lives in.
Imports
The moving of goods into a country.
Interdependence
When a government takes on sole responsibility for making decisions about how to run a country.
Indigenous people
Tribal groups who are native to a particular place.
Indirect jobs
Jobs that are created indirectly due to industry. E.g. in tourism, a taxi driver.
Industrialisation
The growth of manufacturing in a country.
Infant mortality rates
The number of children who die before their first birthday, for every 1000 that live.
Infrastructure
The structure of communications and services required to support economic development in a particular area.
Informal work
Jobs that do not always receive a regular wage, they do not do regular hours. E.g. a babysitter, private cleaner, house keeper, paper boy/girl.
Inward investment
Investment into a country usually from MNCs based in another country.
Leaching
When nutrients are washed out of the soil by rainfall.
LEDC
Less Economically Developed Country, e.g. Somalia.
Life expectancy
The average age people are expected to live until.
Mechanisation
The increased use of machinery to replace human labour.
MEDC
More Economically Developed Country, e.g. USA
MNC
Multinational Company - a large company that has its head offices in one country and factories in a number of other countries.
Multilateral aid
Aid given by many governments to large international organisations who decided how the aid should be distributed.
NGO aid
Non Government Organisation aid - Aid given by independent organisations, often charities such as Oxfam, who collect donations for countries and groups that need help.
NIC
Newly Industrialised Country, e.g. Thailand.
Nutrients
Material which plants use for food.
Per capita
Per person.
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants take in the sun’s energy with carbon dioxide and water to produce energy, oxygen and plant tissue.
Primary employment
The collection and extraction of raw materials from the ground, e.g. fishing/farming.
Primary enrolment
Number of children that are attending primary school.
Quaternary employment
The development of R&D (Research and Development) departments, e.g. scientists.
Quota
Restrictions on the amount of particular goods that can be imported.
RIC
Recently Industrialised Countries, e.g. Turkey.
Secondary employment
The manufacturing and processing of goods, e.g. factory work/car assembly work.
Stewards
People entrusted with the management of the environment to ensure it is useful to future generations.
Subsistence
A type of economic activity where very little money is used. E.g. in farming, farmers produce only enough food to feed their families and their is no surplus to sell.
Sustainable
Brundtland commission defines this as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” 1987.
Sustainable aid
Help given to a country that will last for future generations.
Tertiary employment
The providing of a service, e.g doctor, teacher, lawyer, shopkeeper.
Tied aid
When one country donates money or resources to another but with conditions attached.
Trade
The exchanging of goods and products between countries.
Trade agreements
Trading partnerships between different countries, otherwise known as trading groups/blocs. E.g. EU and NAFTA.
Trade deficit
When a country has more imports than exports.
Trade surplus
Where a country has more exports than imports.
Urban heat island
Cities where humans give off heat through buildings and vehicles, making them warmer than their surrounding areas.
Work
People’s activities that dont involve leisure. The work may be paid or unpaid: you are doing work right now that is unpaid - this is how it differs from employment.
